PART USED Leaves

EXTRACTION METHOD Steam Distillation

ORIGIN Hungary

NOTE CLASSIFICATION Middle Note

INTRODUCTION

Lovage was much used as a herb in Britain during the middle ages and then like so many others, went out for fashion for several centuries. It is tallest of umbellifers , reaching over 1.8 m and makes an attractive back-of-the-border- addition. All parts of the plant- leaves, stems, and seeds u2013 can be used in the kitchen and so it well repays its keep.

A native of southern Europe, lovage was known to the Greeks and Romans and recommended by Culpeper in his mid 17th century herbal. He advised that the bruised leaves , fried in hogu2019s lard and applied hot to the area will quickly break any blotch or boil. The herb was once thought to be an aphrodisiac and was used by witches in their love potions.

With its bright green , hand-shaped leaflets and thickly ridged hollow stems, the plant looks rather like overgrown celery, ad gives off a distinct celery-like aroma. The flowers which bloom in mid-to late summer are small, yellow and formed umbrella like clusters. The seeds are flat, oval and deeply ridged. The plant reaches a height of 1.5 m.